Seasons of Change
by xOhxSnapx
Summary: We all know Tonks. But what was she like when she was attending Hogwarts? What sorts of things did she go through in the acclaimed time of peace after Voldemorts downfall, and how will things change for her as she grows older?
1. Meet Tonks

Three years after the defeat of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named wizarding families settled back into the easy, carefree way of life once again. Some people continuously read the books that were written the baby boy, Harry Potter, after the night of October 31,1981. Some were still trying to deal with the loss of the Potter's, and others were slowly moving on with their lives. The younger generation not completely knowing what they would be growing up into, and for the present, it was just as well. They would soon learn of how important little baby Harry Potter was to their world, and why exactly it was a miracle that he had survived that night. There was only one question:

How long will it take before these times of peace became times of change?

"I don't want to go to Diagon Alley, Mum!" Eleven year old Nymphadora Tonks whined as she flopped down on the couch. The small girl pulled her legs under herself before crossing her arms. Today would have been a normal day in the Tonks household if only it weren't for the fact that little Nymphadora was supposed to go out with her mother to pick up her school supplies for the up and coming term at Hogwarts. It was her first year and she didn't fancy shopping because she didn't like shopping, not really. She gave a muffled sound of distain before pulling at one of her brown curls. "Can't I at least change my hair?"

Andromeda Tonks didn't even look up from her spot at the small table as she began to collect this morning dishes. "No," she said stacking one plate onto another and setting the forks on top. "You didn't finish your eggs, mind you, Nymphadora." She added, finally looking up to meet her daughters gaze. Smiling softly she strode off to the kitchen, the door closing behind her with a soft click. The eleven year old toppled off the couch, groaning into her hands. This caused a chuckle from her father who was simply reading the mornings issue of the Daily Prophet at the table. The girl remained on the floor with her hands plastered over her face, as if she was dreading to look around the room.

Nymphadora, or Tonks, as she'd rather be called, could be considered a rather dramatic girl. Some even ventured to call her hyperactive. She was horribly clumsy, one would be able to pick up on that if they just watched her move around her room. "Dad," Tonks sighed exasperatedly. "I'm doomed. What was Mum thinking when she named me? Does she _want_ me to go around being made fun at?" she sat up, looking up at her father hopefully only to see him shaking his head at her, holding back what she could tell was laughter. Tonks would have thrown a pillow at her father, but she knew just how horrible her aim was, and winced at the thought of knocking his coffee mug off of the table.

Father and daughter turned their attention to the kitchen, however, upon hearing a rather loud laugh. Mrs. Tonks had emerged from the kitchen and was walking toward her husband, holding a letter in her hands. She took a seat at the table, reading over the letter at least ten more times, making sure she had read it correctly. Even after she just continued to stare at it, not once noticing the look that her husband was giving her or the mock pointed glare she was receiving from her daughter. When she had finally looked up at her husband it was very evident that she was holding back a great deal of laugher and possibly anger.

"Narcissa wants to see Nymphadora and myself," Mrs. Tonks sniffed. Tonks noticed that her mum's hands were shaking at this.

Then she recalled what her mum had just said and blanched. "Aunt Narcissa wants to.." Tonks said, trailing off, the words falling numb in her mouth. "But why, Mum? You've told me plenty times that she and Aunt Bellatrix don't like you. And I've already _met_ Aunt Narcissa, I don't want to have to do that again. She's all sorts of terrible strict. Oh! Draco's three, isn't he? Is he talking yet at all or has she not mentioned it? Merlin, I feel sorry for the poor boy, his mum _is_ terribly strict and she loves to yell. At those house-elves. Poor things."

It was probably a good thing that she stopped when she did. Mrs. Tonks would looking at her as if she might lecture the girl into next week. Tonks looked away innocently, as if she hadn't said a word. "Never you mind that, Nymphadora," Mrs. Tonks said, waving her hand at her daughter. "Go get dressed, please. We're going to Diagon Alley and getting your things. You've put it off ever since you got your letter, and you leave tomorrow. Do you have any idea how many people will be trying to get their things now?"

Tonks blinked. "Just all the sorry sods who waited this long to buy their things?"

"Nymphadora!"

"Sorry!" Pause. "Merlin, I hate my name."

- - - - -

Just like her mum had predicted; Diagon Alley was packed, and now more than ever Tonks wished she could have been anywhere but there. Lock her up in a room with her Aunt Narcissa, anything was better than last minute shopping. Not to mention that her mum had already called her on watching where she was going because she kept bumping into someone. The eleven year old had only winced and stumbled rather ungracefully before dumping into someone else. Oh, there were many reasons why she didn't like shopping in Diagon Alley. Her mum never let her change her hair color, she was always trying to pick out the _cute_ robes, and when she meant _cute_ she always meant expensive. Tonks wouldn't have it.

Her mum may have been something of a perfect porcelain doll when she was her age, but Tonks was anything but. She was messy, her clothes were always completely wrinkled by the end of the day. She couldn't walk twenty feet without stumbling over _something_. She couldn't stand up or sit up straight for more than five seconds before wanting to topple over. Her mum was the exact opposite, despite having given up her title as a Black when she was disowned. Tonks found her mother neat and orderly. And poised, albeit a bit silly at times.

Mr. and Mrs. Arthur and Molly Weasley often told her that she took after her dad. Ted Tonks, he played off as the quiet father, but Tonks had heard stories that her dad was a bit clumsy when he was in school. This made the girl wonder which of her parents asked who out.

With a frustrated sigh Tonks trudged on behind her mum, tugging on the light lock of hair that had fallen into her line of vision. Her mind wasn't anywhere near shopping. "Mum," she whined just loud enough for Mrs. Tonks to hear. "I might as well be the milkman's daughter," she said half heartedly, looking up hopefully at her mum as she had turned around. "I mean, c'mon, I don't look a thing like you or dad. He has _dark_ hair and you have _blonde_ hair like Aunt Narcissa. And I've got brown. Plus, no one ever sees dad around," Tonks added, finishing off with a light hum as the two of them entered a book store.

Mrs. Tonks wrinkled her nose. "You see your father a great deal more than you cousin, Draco, ever sees his," she tutted, pushing her daughter lightly in front of her. "Now, will you please help me find your school books? After this we only have to get your robes. And you get your looks from your Great Aunt-"

"MUM LOOK! WEASLEY'S!" Tonks cried, pointing off into a corner.

Nine redheads turned to look at the screaming person. Mrs. Weasley was holding her youngest child, and holding the hand of her second youngest. Two twin boys busied themselves, pointing and giggling at people who continued to walked by, while another boy looked at them and rolled his eyes. The eldest two were busy fighting over a book. Their parents looked very much exasperated.

Mrs. Tonks didn't seem to really hear her daughters little out burst. She walked right past the Weasley clan, giving them a smile and a wave before she lost herself behind a shelf of books. Tonks looked exasperated; she mum? Never listened to her when she had something to say. It was rude. So with a huff, she took one last glance at the Weasley's, finally taking in who all she was seeing. The one children that she had ever met were Bill and Charlie; because they were in her age group.

"Wotcher, Charlie!" Tonks said merrily as she bound past the lot after her mother. Charlie looked pointedly away which only caused Bill to laugh a little. Tonks and Charlie were always messing around with each other. However, upon finding out that he was pointedly ignoring her, she stopped in mid step and stomped a foot. "Wotcher, damnit!" 'Kay, that was a slip. No sooner had she said it had her mother appeared once again.

"Nymphadora!"

The girl cringed. She _really_ hated that name. Charlie burst out into a fit of laughter and she glared at him, before realizing that their parents had moved halfway across the shop with the four youngest kids.

Tonks looked up at the Weasley boy that she didn't know. It was all to obvious that he was a Weasley. She had seen him before, but never bothered to ask Mrs. Weasley what his name was, and she always forgot to ask her own parents. So, giving a strand of her own hair a tug she walked up to him. He was little, younger than Charlie and Bill.

"I'm Percy," the boy said, pushing up his glasses that were sliding down his nose. "Who're you?"

Well, Tonks hadn't been expecting that. She blinked a few times. "I'm - er… I'm Tonks," she said, cocking her head to the side. The boy wrinkled a nose.

"That's a boys name. You're a girl."

"Yeah? Well… you - smell funny!"

"You _look_ funny!"

Luckily the shopping trip had been cut short due to the fact that Mrs. Tonks and Mrs. Weasley had made their rounds again to collect their children, and Mrs. Tonks had apparently found all of her daughters school books and bought them while she was having a small tiff with the younger boy. Tonks gave a wave to the Weasley's before running after her mother. Robes and then home. Yes, that sounded like a smashing idea, the girl though as she stumbled through the door, right into someone who was coming in. Robes, home, packing, and train. Brilliant.

She could probably get her mum to pack her trunk, too. She was good at doing that sort of thing after all.


	2. Slytherin

"Tonks, Nymphadora!"

It all happened because Tonks was a little distracted after her banter with Charlie. Things had not been going well. She had been picked on because she continuously stumbled one the way to the train, some other first year sat on her sandwich, and her mother had begged her to do well and try her hardest in school. It also happened because Tonks had a tendency to ramble when she was nervous.

So she sat in complete blackness, a stupid hat covering her eyes and its rather annoying voice ringing in her ears, and started to talk.

"_Tonks - that'll be Gryffindor, then_?"

"Yes, please," Tonks said merrily, and then without thinking, "Or Slytherin, you know, that wouldn't be bad either. Not Hufflepuff though, because they're just too boring. Mother thinks they're terrible boring, actually. I think Ravenclaw is terrible boring, but not plain boring."

"_Slytherin_." The Hat paused. "_Interesting. Haven't heard a Tonks ask for that particular house_."

"Um," Tonks said, just realizing what the Hat was saying to her. "Actually, no. On second thought, scratch that. Gryffindor, please. Just Gryffindor, no second guessing or anything. Gryffindor!"

"_Perhaps it's time for a little movement_. Slytherin!"

"Movement? But I've _changed my mind_!" Tonks cried, and then felt hands tugging at the hat brim. "Just a minute!" she said indignantly to the old woman in green. "I need to get something cleared up. This incompetent piece of haberdashery has entirely misunderstood me-" The hat was pulled from her head and she was left staring at the entirety of the Great Hall, the unsorted first years and the entire Slytherin table staring at her. "Oh, _bugger_."

Magical items, Tonks concluded as she slipped off the stool, hated her oh so much. She gave a wary glance back to the Hat before glancing at Charlie Weasley who was gaping at her. Oh, she was going to get him. This was all his fault, she decided, trudging on toward her new house table at which the members were still staring at her quite oddly. Already she could tell this was going to be a long year. As would the year aft that, and the one after that and so on. She was so very doomed. Slytherin? Why did it have to be Slytherin. She would have sooner been put into Hufflepuff than Slytherin.

It was horrible, very horrible as she sat down. One of the other first years, who's name was Alice Wittleby, sat across from her and was looking at Tonks rather pointedly. Tonks stared back, placing her hands into her lap.

"Your name's Nymphadora?" Alice said, in what Tonks thought was supposed to be a drawl. But the fact that the girls voice had a nasal wheeze it just made her sound horridly stupid. "You'll be lucky, then. Slytherin's the best house in Hogwarts. Father said so himself."

Tonks glowered at the girl. "Don't talk to me. This is all a horrible mistake," she said, turning her attention back to the sorting. Charlie had just been called up, and in what was less than a minute the old Hat had screamed, 'Gryffindor!'. Tonks stared opened mouth as her friend took a seat next to his brother, Bill, at the Gryffindor table. "Horrible mistake. Horrible!" She wanted to bash her head on the table. Instead she propped her elbows on the table and put her head in her hands.

Alice regarded Tonks with a sneer. "Do you _need_ something to drink?"

"I told you not to talk to me!" Tonks cried, causing several members of the house to look her way. She shrank down on the bench, not once noticing that Alice was looking at her, appalled. When she finally looked up at the other girl both her brows arched. "What?"

"You're slouching!" Alice hissed hurriedly, looking like she had just seen a ghost. Was she not supposed to slouch?

Tonks stared blankly at the girl before her. "Yes, and tomorrow I shall commit another illicit act such as infanticide or possibly dance around the school in my knickers," she paused, relishing the look of pure horror that was dancing across the dark haired girl before her. "My mother would be very proud. Now, please, let me eat my food in silence!"

"You're horrid-"

"Hush!"

The rest of the night went on like that. By the time they were supposed to be shipped off to the common room for bed Tonks wasn't sure that she had the energy enough to do so. And she was right. At least three times on her way down to the dungeons she had stumbled by simply scuffing her foot a little too hard on the ground. The group of Slytherin's had become a mass of sniggering snakes; if snakes could snigger anyway. Few first years was horrified to know that they would have class with her. Some of the more older students were regarding her with lifted chins and sneers. Oh, what it was like to be shipped off to a new school and having to live with a bunch of people who were supposed to be like your family while attending school.

The common room wasn't anything special. It was dark with black chairs, couches, and tables. There were no windows and the entire room was slightly chill. A first year boy had asked where the common room was located. The obvious answer had been given, but the answer that scared all the first years was that the common room was actually under the lake. Few first years weren't surprised, some had gasped out something like, "What if the walls cave in! We'll drown!"

Eventually everyone went to their dormitories. According to gender and year. Tonks wasn't so thrilled when she found out she would be sleeping in the same room as Alice Wittleby and her two friends Anne Carpenter and Beatrix McKay. It was a mutual feel between the four girls. The three of them were snotty little rich birds, and Alice seemed to be their 'leader'. Tonks hadn't the faintest idea how Anne and Beaktix were able to stand her. Just the sound of her voice would have made a baby cry.

"Do you always stand like that?" Anne inquired, as they were getting ready for bed. She threw Tonks a quick glance as she tied back her blonde hair. "I hear that standing with that sort of posture will do ages of damage to the back when you reach fifty," she sniffed sitting on her bed.

Beatrix gave a faint snicker. "And what about stumbling all the time? Surely you are more coordinated than that. Merlin forbid anyone catch me stumbling like that. I'd be too embarrassed to leave this room!"

Now, see, Tonks was busy with brushing out her curls. She hated her hair. Naturally it was light brown and slightly curly. Her mum rarely let her change it, and she wasn't going to risk changing it in front of the three girl that did nothing but ask her all sorts of stupid questions. She had tuned them out at one point when they had talked about doing each others hair in the morning before classes. Still, the three girls continued to talk.

She looked up at them as she slid under the covers on her own bed, getting ready to draw the curtains shut. "Didn't your mum ever tell you that if you keep asking questions at night you'll wake up with a _horrible_ case of lockjaw?" She smiled sweetly at the girls before shutting the curtains.

"She's lying, isn't she?"

Pause. Silence. Snoring.


	3. Cooties

"You should here them! They talk, Charlie! They _talk_!"

"Did you expect them to _hiss_ or something?"

"I hate you. Shut up."

That was the sixth time that Tonks had said 'I hate you' and the tenth time she had told Charlie to shut up. The boy was highly amused. The two of them were making their way to the grounds, juggling their book bags. Several students cast them strange glanced. They were a Gryffindor and a Slytherin both walking to class together. Alice and her lot would have a fit, Tonks mused, mostly because to most people Gryffindors and Slytherins didn't simply _walk_ together to classes. But Tonks didn't care. Well, that was a lie, it made her wonder what her house mates thought whenever they would see her walk somewhere with Charlie. She already knew that Alice, Anne, and Beatrix talked about her. They had only just confronted her last week telling her that it was best not to mingle with Gryffindors.

Tonks wouldn't be bothered by it. Or them. Whichever came first. She was more bothered with the fact that she had to sleep where she went to school, having roommates wasn't exactly something that she was used to, not to mention half of the time she'd rather be trying to wrap her hands around their necks then listen to them talk. _Anything_ was better than hearing them talk. Well, maybe not potions. Tonks tended to botch up her potions, and her roommates tended to take the mickey out of her because of it. Not exactly the most fun thing in the world.

It was settled. She wouldn't be bothered by them. That was her goal. Ignore the Slytherin girls and make their lives a living hell for the rest of their years at Hogwarts. Tonks beamed, clearly not noticing the strange look that Charlie was giving her before he pushed her playfully into the wall. With a rather loud squeal she stumbled, grabbing on to Charlie's arm, bringing him down with her. They landed on the floor with a rather painful thud.

"You ruined my train of thought!" Tonks grumped, kicking the boy lightly. "I was in my happy place, Charlie! Happy place!"

Charlie didn't see the amusement in this for Tonks' book bag was crushing his bits. And she was leaning on her book bag. "_My_ happy place is in _pain_," he grunted, falling back on to the floor, groaning.

It would be two minutes later before Tonks realized what Charlie had meant. Turning a bright shade of pink she scrambled to get up, brushing off her robes, pointedly avoiding the boy's gaze. When at last they had finally started walking again Tonks clutched her book bag to her chest, staring hard down at the floor before her. She had to think of happier things, things that weren't in anyway related to Charlie's crushed bits. Why did she ever let her mum talk her into going to Hogwarts? She would have been better off at Beauxbatons. At least there she would be able to pick up on a new language (never mind the fact that her mum was already trying to teach her French. She refused to learn it!), and possibly how to be less of a klutz.

…..Wasn't that what finishing school was for?

She whimpered at the thought, pointedly ignoring the look Charlie was giving her as he hobbled along. Then she had an idea.

"Charlie," Tonks sighed dramatically. "Have I ever told you how boy are gross?"

The Gryffindor leered at her as he hobbled along. "I have a feeling you're about to tell-"

"COOTIES, CHARLIE!" The little Slytherin exclaimed. "Filthy little things that crawl around your bits day in and day out! VILE! Mum told me so herself."

"I am very disturbed to know this," Charlie coughed, hunching his shoulders, trying to hide from the stares they were getting. "Please, tell your mum this. Better yet, I'll tell her. Merlin, my brain - I need to bleach it."

Sometimes, Tonks thought, it's good to be loud. It's more fun that way. Of course she had always been loud - or so her mum and dad told her. Her Aunt Narcissa told her to 'sit down you silly girl, and don't touch a thing!' But Aunt Narcissa was awfully strict and didn't seemed to happy with her mum at the time either, she didn't know why. Actually, Tonks was beginning to wonder if her aunt ever smiled. She seemed so stiff, then again she was pregnant with little Draco. Must have been the mood swings.

….So what was Uncle Lucius' excuse? He couldn't have been pregnant, too. Nah, that couldn't happen. That was more disgusting than Charlie's cooties, and Tonks knew that for a fact. Merlin, no wonder everyone always told her she sounded like a five year old. So Tonks threw down her arms, clutching her book bag in one hand, and sticking her pinky finger out. Jutting her chin out just a bit she walked stiffly, one foot in front of the other, careful to not bend her knees.

Charlie sputtered at her actions. "What in Merlin's name are you doing?"

In a very uppity lady like manner, Tonks scoffed. "I'm being a lady."

"Er," the Gryffindor coughed, flinching at the way she walked. "Why?"

Sighing exasperatedly Tonks said, "Because I'm a lady, that's why."

"Well, stop. You're scaring me."


	4. Library

Six weeks had past, but it felt like more. It was the same thing every day, she woke up, dealt with Alice, Anne, and Beatrix until mid afternoon when they weren't around to scowl at her behind her back. It was a good thing, too, that they sort of disappeared until class; Alice's voice, as nasal wheezing as it was, became very tiring after a while, and she feared that the girl might suffer from some Hufflepuff asking about it. Truly, Tonks felt she would die of laughter at such a sight, and made sure to tell Charlie of the very idea. He, of course, did not see the humor in it, and instead questioned her sanity before asking if she had done her Potions homework.

Her answer had been no, she hadn't. He made her though, as tragic as it was.

They sat in the library three days later, it was a small study group composed mostly of Ravenclaw's, a few Hufflepuff, and two to three Gryffindors, and exactly one Slytherin which happened to be Tonks, who was weary of the situation. She was not good with studying you see, and the library worried her. With such an overly active imagination as she had, her mind began to form possibilities that she didn't dare to share with anyone present, though she was dying to, and she shifted in her seat.

Oh, oh how the library looked to her. It was like the shelves were crowding around her, and the table she was at. She would have whimpered if it weren't for the fact that she was supposed to be engaged in conversation about Potions and Charms, which she found vastly boring, and not at all to her liking. No, she'd much rather talk about flying. It was grand, after all, even if she had fallen off of her broom during her first flying lesson. She made a funny noise and became aware of her fellow student staring at her so she slumped back in her seat, fiddling with her quill before balancing it on her nose. The feather tickled her and she sneezed, earning her fair share of glares.

"Potions is a _skill_," one of the Ravenclaw's had sighed, gesturing to a book. "No, I digress, it's a talent that must be learned!"

Tonks rolled her eyes. "Oh, pish posh," she said from her slumped position, her eyes barely level with the table. "Potions is just potions. It's no more a talent than singing. If you're dedicated enough to it, then it becomes a passion. Where's the skill in it, I ask you? Ha! There is no skill!"

The table looked at her, and Tonks leered at them all before slumping further down, muttering something about stupid potions and stupid books and stupid talent. They were still looking at her as she slumped and crossed her arms. Of course, they still had to be talking about Potions. Now they were naming their favorite one. Tonks let off a sound that was a cross between a dying cow and a mouse giving birth. She couldn't take this. It was all so boring, and because of Charlie. She made to kick his shin but kicked a Hufflepuff instead.

"Whoops," she squeaked and quickly fell to the floor with a thud, hitting her head on the table with a bump. She cursed the library. It was evil and it was against her, fully and completely. No! It was plotting against her. Yes, that was it. The library was scheming the ways in which it could ruin her life starting with schoolwork, and when Tonks began to cackle several heads were suddenly looking under the table. She flushed, and scrambled out from under the table back into her seat.

This was insanity. She couldn't take it. What would happen if the Slytherin Trio came along and saw her here? She would never hear the end of it! They would be on her case about mingling with Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors. The Ravenclaws they could deal with. They were just nerds that were paid to do their homework. Tonks scoffed. She would do homework, too, if she were paid to.

"Charms is simple enough to understand, even for someone who's not going to attend Hogwarts for some time," said the Hufflepuff Tonks had kicked. "I mean, it seem like child's play really-"

"Oh pish posh!" Tonks hissed, waving a hand dramatically. "You've got to know a good lot. You need to know how to pronounce the spells properly, or you'll both up and possibly botch your buttocks right off!" Her eyes were wide as she said this.

Charlie eyed her, clearly wondering what he had done, bringing her. "Do you know someone who's botched their buttocks off?"

Tonks sighed exasperatedly. "No, you ninny!" she exclaimed. "But that's not the point. It could happen! Honestly, and you all probably think _I'm_ insane. I'll show you yet!"

The Ravenclaws leered at her. They shouldn't. She didn't know any of them, but now she swore that they were commanding the books to plot against her, and again she looked around the library, her eyes narrowing on a bookshelf. This was an evil library and it had evil library powers and this was one of the times she wished she was more like her mother. So she laid her head on the table and pretended to listen and pay attention.

But it wouldn't be long until that nasal wheezing voice floated through the library and Tonks nearly screamed. Instead she sat up and slumped again. Maybe her slumping posture would throw off Alice. Oh, let it please! Again the table was looking at her, but she paid it no mind and trained her eyes on Alice was by now was, stalking around the library with her girls at her sides, and to think Tonks slept in the same room as them! And they were only eleven. Oh, what a world.

Maybe it was best she keep her mind on track. It didn't do so well when it wander; it had a tendency to become crazy.

"Oh, Nymphadora!" Wheezed Alice with malice, coated with sweet. Tonks flinched, her eyes darting. "How dreadful for you, stuck here with this rumpus. I am sorry, truly and deeply. But you see, it does you – and our house, no good you continue associate with _that one_," and she pointed at Charlie who scowled at her. Tonks scowled too, and then she ruined her scowl by flailing.

Anne and Beatrix sniggered ruefully at Alice's side and crossed their arms meaningfully over their chests. "Oh, come off it, Nymphie - " Tonks spluttered at this " – he's no good. He's a Weasley. And he's a Gryffindor, you'll only taint us and yourself!"

"Pish posh," Tutted Tonks, waving a hand. "He hasn't the talent to taint. Why, he doesn't know the word, do you Charlie? I thought not! NOW, if you'll all excuse me, I must flee. This library is full of evil!"

She got up to leave and everyone stared. "It is full of Evil Library Powers of Doom!" She said meaningfully before leaving the library in a hurry.

Charlie stared after her. "What the _bloody hell_ was that all about?"

The Ravenclaw's tittered. "Can we please get on subject again?"

- - -

**A/N:** My goodness. I've been meaning to update as soon as possible, but then my internet was disconnected. So, I only have it during the weekends. If even that. So, I give this to you, showing just how strange and silly I believe Tonks could have been in s chool. Enjoy!


	5. Itscharlie

Only a few months had passed since the incident in the library and still Tonks cringed each time she walked passed it. Most of the people who had been with her that day had forgotten but not Alice, Anne, and Beatrix. Of course not them, and their little antics where wearing thin on Tonks as the three had been doing the same thing since that day. Always making her out to be a mad aleck, not so say that she wasn't, but it had been at least three months since her last serious outburst. She hadn't anytime to even think of being as mad as a hatter, being as bogged with school work as she was. In her honest opinion it was simply unheard of to have a first year have nearly five assignments all due on the same day. All of them papers having to be at least two scrolls of parchment or more. And with Alice and her two cronies lounging about the common room there was no hope of getting anything done then and there.

The first year sighed as she collected her things and shoved them all into her school bag and began a slow trudge out of the common room, not being able to stand that horrendous laugh that Alice seemed to ooze whenever she opened her mouth. Vaguely she could remember her mother telling her that her years at Hogwarts would be some of the best years of her life. She must have been talking about the later years, then!

Tonks pondered a moment where she should go and threw herself against a wall. The Great Hall was loud and annoying. There was obviously no way she would go anywhere near the library. She figured she would probably go back next year, when it was safe and after she was able to spend her summer hoping that Alice would transfer schools. The courtyard! Yes, that would do just fine, she thought to herself as she wrinkled her nose, pushing away from the wall.

There was a sort of bounce to her step and she went down the many corridors. Glad for it to finally be the weekend and not have to worry about wearing her school robes or those stupid shoes that were apparently apart of the code. She just didn't get it so she bounced along barefoot in a plain green skirt and white shirt with her school bag strapped across her chest. She was happy to be like that, how she wanted to be. Now if only she could bring herself to change her hair color, then she'd be truly happy. It was bad enough that she was smaller than most of the other girls in her year, but she wasn't alone.

Sarah Rylie in Hufflepuff was about that same height as her. Tonks, though, thought she was just a mite strange as she was too quite. They were very much opposites, and being eleven that really didn't mean much to them and soon found themselves pairing up in whatever classes that Hufflepuff and Slytherin had together. Sarah helped Tonks focus on her work and Tonks helped Sarah to open up a little more.

And it was no surprise to her when she saw Sarah seated at the courtyard when she finally arrived.

"And I thought it was my turn to ponder the meaning of life in the flowers by the _lovely_ fountain!" Tonks said in a mock whine as she came up to Sarah who looked up at her with a small smile. "Really now, you're starting to steal my thing. Not very becoming you realize." And she sat down on the ground next to the Hufflepuff, pulling out her papers.

But Sarah could only shake her head to which Tonks raised an eyebrow. "Not pondering life!" She hissed quietly as if they were in the, god forbid, library. "More like a boy. But really, it's nothing that needs to be discussed! You've got work, I see."

Of course, the Slytherin girl had ceased to listen after learning that her friend had being thinking about a boy! A smirk slid over her face as she crossed her legs and tossed her papers aside. "Boy? You – thinking about a boy?" She said, the excitement rising in her voice. "House! What house is he in? Do I know him. C'mon, Sarah, you've got to tell me or I'll partner up with Alice next Charms!"

And there Sarah's face fell and at the same time it turned red. Blonde strands of hair fell over her face as she looked down in her lap and fiddles with her fingers. "Itscharliebutitdoesn'tmatter." She said quickly and turned her head away, completely flushed.

"What?"

"Itscharlie…"

"Come again?"

"It's Charlie!"

And it was there that Tonks' face fell and she whispered a faint, "Oh," before picking her face up and smirking at her friend once more. "Well, good on you then! May you have pretty little babies when you both are all grown up!"

- -** - **

**A/N:** Kay. I'm back! Sort of. Been spending most of my time on the Sims 2 and WoW and I found that I missed a few of my fics! I know that this isn't your typical Tonks, but come on now. Something new needed to happen! Sorry for the crappiness of it, though, seriously. I've been away from HP for too long and haven't been able to talk to my friend who gives me so much of my muses in about a year. So bare with me for a little bit! Hope you enjoyed it!


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